Connaught Cup Stakes

7 1/2 furlongs on Turf Grade 2
Purse $175.00 For Three Year Olds And Upward
Woodbine Racetrack Toronto Ontario, Canada

-I love turf racing and I love full fields, because that is usually where the money is when spending the day at the races. This year’s renewal of The Connaught Cup features one uncoupled entry from Maxmillion Farm and a full field of eleven. Let’s take a look and try to piece this unique distanced stakes together. The strangely named five year old gelding Ana Ana Ana from Maxmillion Farm gets the ever so slight nod in a wide open scramble. Earning a 101 number in his last start, a career best, “Ana” is quick enough to be tractable in sprints and is also proven effective at a flat mile, a good combination for this distance of seven and one-half furlongs. “Ana” has only traversed this distance once under silks and it was a win, albeit in a non-winners of two claimer back in May of 2025. He should be in a good spot to take control late. Atomic Eclipse from Invicta Group Llc is a runner that will hinder most handicapper’s Sunday, weather they use him or not. Bought privately for $40, the nine year old gelding makes his first start for a barn know to keep older runners going. His stakes race back in February fits here and the distance should be about ideal if the new connections can get him to fire. Scary proposition either way you lean. Moonligtonthewabash from High Voltage just finished in front of “Eclipse” coming down the hill in Arcadia in a highly rated stakes, but gets a brutal seat here in gate eleven. He can track the leaders or come from the back, so it’s a guessing game as to what the rider’s instructions will be and that only adds to the head scratching here. Last Way To The Beac, also from Maxmillion Farm obviously needs no introduction to race fans and looks to repeat here as he won this race in 2025. He will get plenty of support and might even go favored, but the fact is that last years race had only seven runners in it, with three of them calling Maxmillion Farm home. He also went wire-to-wire, so a repeat here will be a much tougher assignment. Mixed feelings for this eight year old pro.

Of The Rest;

Evil Lives Here from DJC Racing Stables was claimed for $25 and then surprisingly sent to a Grade 1 in Arcadia where he showed the way for a long time before calling it a day. The number earned was big and his effort off the claim even better. He draws the rail here and has gas to be positioned wherever the barn or pilot feel is best. Certainly won’t be a shocker if he steps forward once again.

Mistborn from Mb Stables is a four year old taking on mostly elders here. Calls the countries perineal leading barn home, so must be scrutinized fully. He is sharp and has won at this distance, but not on this track and certainly not against this kind. For me, he is respected, but passed upon Sunday except for the bottom of deep exotic tickets.

Neon Town from John Henry has called several trainers boss over his career and keeps on finding his way up and down the ladder. The distance should suite and although not a win, his last was solid and better than looked. Will need luck and a touch more to be involved late, but it’s not mission impossible, so don’t just quickly dismiss from your exotics.

Buffalo G from Nakamura Stables is a nine year old still firing, but now a days usually at longer distances. He has been effective at a flat mile in the past, so this wouldn’t be totally out of the question, although my feeling is that the race needs to come apart for him to do his best. Guessing game Sunday.

Nationalist from TwinTowers Racing is a four year old coming off back-to-back stakes blowouts where he simply didn’t compete well enough to signal that he belonged. The race beforehand was a first level allowance going 1 1/16th where he wired a five horse field. All three of those races were on dirt and both of his career wins were wire-to-wire on dirt, although he has hit the board twice on turf in four attempts. Obvious surprise package, but most likely not in this context.

Lev By The Minute from Rock Creek is a three year old picking a tough spot, to say the least. Gelded after his last start, the Grade 3 Pen Mile, a $400 race for three year olds only where he finished fourth out of seven with the horse who finished right behind him showing earnings of $5.36 and a lifetime record of one win, one second place finish and one third place finish over five lifetime starts. Guessing a possible pace casualty if anything beyond just circling the oval.

Zed Zamboni from Pan Farms is a four year old colt that was purchased for $5 back in March of this year. Decent work tab since and the new connections have taken their time, always a positive sign, but this just doesn’t look like the right spot even if he has been improved. This would be a tough spot to earn your first score against winners no matter who you are or what your resume looks like and his certainly doesn’t come close to impressing this cast.

-Trackman

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES